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Testimonial template: short and long formats
Once a customer has answered your questions, you still need to shape their words into something readers take in quickly. These formats help you arrange what they said at the length each place needs: a single line for a pricing page, a short paragraph for a landing page, a fuller story for a case study.
Treat them as scaffolding only. Every bracket must be filled with the customer's actual words or with facts they confirmed, and the finished text goes back to them for approval before it appears anywhere.
These are templates, not testimonials. Every example on this page is a structure with placeholders such as [Name] and [Company]. None of it is a quote from a real or invented person: fill it only with what your customer actually told you, and publish it only with their permission.
Fill in the blanks
Replace the words in square brackets with your own details. With JavaScript on, the fields here fill every template on the page for you.
The templates, piece by piece
A single line
For pricing pages, checkout and ads, where readers glance rather than read. Pick the one most specific thing the customer said.
- The most specific sentence they gave you
- Name and company
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
[The most specific sentence from their answer].
— [Name], [Company]The short paragraph
The everyday format for landing pages and feature pages: enough for context, short enough to read in passing.
- Context: who they are or what they needed
- The change they described
- A byline with their role
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
As [their role or situation], I needed [what they needed]. [Product] [what it changed for them,
in their words].
— [Name], [Role] at [Company]Before and after
For a testimonials page or a wall, where readers browse. The contrast between before and after carries the story, so keep both halves in the customer's own terms.
- Before
- The turning point
- After
- The recommendation
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
Before: [the situation before, in their words].
Turning point: [what made them try it].
After: [what is different now].
[What they would tell someone in their position].
— [Name], [Role] at [Company]The case-study summary
For the top of a case study or a sales deck. It frames a longer story and gives a reader who will not read the whole case the key facts at once.
- Who the customer is
- The challenge
- What they did
- The outcome they confirmed
- One line in their words
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
Customer: [Company], [what the company does]
Challenge: [the challenge, as they described it]
What they did: [how they used the product]
Outcome: [the outcome they confirmed, with any figures they approved]
In their words: [one line they approved for publication]
— [Name], [Role]Writing the byline
The byline is half of a testimonial's credibility. A full name, a role and a company let readers judge whether the person is like them, and a photo helps further. Use only what the customer agreed to, and if they prefer to stay anonymous, say so instead of inventing a name or a face.
Keep the byline format the same across your site so testimonials look consistent, and note next to each one when and how the customer approved it.
Editing without changing the meaning
Cutting filler, fixing typos and choosing the strongest sentence are fair edits. Merging answers into claims the customer did not make, turning up their enthusiasm or adding a result they never mentioned are not. When in doubt, ask them.
Keep it honest
In the United States, the FTC’s Endorsement Guides say a testimonial must reflect the honest opinion or experience of the person giving it, and that you may tidy the wording but not reword it so that it distorts what they meant.Source [1] If the customer got something in return that your readers would not expect, such as a discount or a free product, that connection must be disclosed clearly.Source [2] This is a summary, not legal advice.
Keep going
- The guide to writing a testimonial, step by step
- Testimonial request email templates
- Testimonial questions for forms and interviews
- Plan a wall of love
Collecting testimonials goes faster with a form your customers can fill in on their own. Read how UpVoiced’s testimonial forms are meant to work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the format of a testimonial?
Usually a short statement in the customer's words followed by a byline with their name, role and company. Longer formats add context before and a result after, but the customer's own voice stays at the centre.
How long should a testimonial be?
As long as the place needs: one line where readers glance, two or three sentences on a landing page, a short story on a testimonials page. Cut anything that is not specific.
Can I write a testimonial for a customer to sign?
You can draft one from their answers if they ask you to, but it must say only what they actually think, and they must approve it. Never publish a draft they have not seen.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, published in the eCFR, “16 CFR 255.1, General considerations (FTC Endorsement Guides)”: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-255/section-255.1, retrieved .
- Federal Trade Commission, published in the eCFR, “16 CFR 255.5, Disclosure of material connections (FTC Endorsement Guides)”: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-255/section-255.5, retrieved .
Collect testimonials with UpVoiced
UpVoiced is adding testimonial collection forms and a wall of love; they are coming soon and not available yet. Its feedback board, roadmap and changelog are in development, and you can try them on a fictional demo.